Beautiful Love
by melissarc97
Summary: This story is about Tony and Michelle's beautiful love.


First FanFiction I've ever written. Heck, first time I've even attempted any type of creative writing since I wrote a story about an elephant when I was roughly eight years old... So I honestly have no idea what I'm doing! But please review and tell me what you think!

* * *

"Tony," Michelle spoke softly as she grabbed his arm in the CTU break room, more than aware of the jealous woman's eyes staring them down. "Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee?" she asked looking deep into his eyes. "This almost felt too good to be true," she thought to herself as she continued to feel Joanne's eyes piercing the back of her head.

"Sure," Tony replied with a yawn but managed to shoot Michelle a smile.

Joanne, not capable of watching any more, turned and stormed out of the kitchen.

At once, Michelle released her grasp from his arm and their gaze broke. She turned away and went back to fixing herself a cup of coffee.

He awkwardly stood there. "Thank you," he told her, scratching his neck. There had always been something between them, some sexual tension and flirting, but when Joanne was around, that was the cue to turn up the heat. They both enjoyed that.

"Anytime," she replied, smiling as she looked up at him. "But why not just tell her you're not interested?" Michelle asked him, curious to know why he doesn't use his lack of fear of confrontation to simply tell her he doesn't want to see anybody.

Tony smiled to himself, thinking back only a few minutes ago when Michelle grabbed his arm. Any physical contact he managed to get out of her while still keeping it professional made his heart beat fast. And those eyes; he always loved the way she looked at him. But he knew he couldn't cross the line, as much as he wanted to. Subtle flirting and uncontrollable staring was all they had managed to accomplish in the past year and a half since Michelle had been transferred from Division. Even though she made it quite clear she wanted him, he was scared she didn't feel the same way. The real reason he didn't want to turn Joanne down was because he liked flirting with Michelle, even if it meant only being able to do it under the circumstances given; while Joanne was around. It was a much more fun - and somewhat mean - way to tell Joanne he wasn't interested. But he couldn't tell Michelle that.

"Umm.. I'm afraid it will create an awkward work dynamic between her and I. I'm trying to avoid that at all costs," he muttered out. It was the only lie he could manage to come up with, hoping it wasn't too convincing, as to not push Michelle away.

"I see," Michelle replied with disappointment filling her eyes, feeling stupid to think for one second this could finally be the time Tony would ask them to take the next step and go on a simple date. Fearing he might read into it, she turned away and hid her face in the refrigerator while putting the cream away. Michelle was never one to talk about feelings, and the last thing she wanted Tony to ask her was 'What's wrong?' However, underestimating his ability to read into her body language and shaky voice in her 'I see' response, Michelle heard the words she didn't want to hear.

"What's the matter?" Tony asked her with sadness in his eyes realizing this is exactly what he was trying to avoid.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," she quickly replied trying to avoid letting her emotions get the best of her.

"Look, I know I can be a little.. detached.. sometimes. I just haven't had the best record with women, so I've learned to keep my distance from, well, everyone-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Tony," she cut in, now trying to hold back a frown.

"Yes I do," he blurted out almost a little too loud. "You deserve more than whatever _this_ is."

"Hey, if this little flirtatious jealously thing for Joanne is all you can handle right now, I'll take it," she told him, blushing. "I never said I didn't like it. And I can assure you it has never been an act for me," she smiled in his direction as his eyes widened with happiness at her confession. "Just please remember that," she requested with a more serious face now. "Okay?"

"Of course," he told her assuringly, implying that he remembers most of their conversations regardless of her request to do so.

"I _should_ get back to work," she stated with words showing she didn't want to leave his presence.

"Yeah, we both should," Tony replied after pausing for a moment as though to keep here there as long as possible.

Michelle took her coffee and was finally able to break from his eyes before turning away to head back to her station. Tony kept his eyes on her until she was out of sight. He then looked towards the bagel he had toasted before he was completely distracted by Michelle's arm grab. It was stone cold, but he didn't even care, throwing it away and making his way back to the floor.

* * *

As the remainder of the rather eventless day dragged on, the only thing that kept Tony's mind entertained was the more than occasional glimpse he would steal of Michelle at her work station from his. Seeing her all the time was making it impossible for him to stay away. They'd never even been on one date but he feels he could use the "L" word about her already.

He turned away from her for what could have been no more than 20 seconds, and when he looked back up in her direction, Michelle was walking towards him. He attempted to scan her body from head to foot multiple times as inconspicuously as he possibly could. She always noticed when he did this, but never said anything, always flattered knowing he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Seeing him do it right then made her blush as she made her way over to his desk. She was fighting back a smile that was trying to break through at the corner of her mouth as she thought about how happy she was with her choice of outfit for the day: a black pencil skirt that cut off a few inches above her knees, a tight red blouse on top, and her cutest black work heels she owned.

"Tony," Michelle said as she approached his station, leaning back against his desk comfortably. "Here are the completed reports," she told him as she handed over the brown folders with the CTU logo on each of them.

"Thanks," Tony replied not breaking his eyes from hers. "Look Michelle, I was thinking-" Suddenly his phone rang and they both signed as he answered it. "Almeida."

Enjoying the view of him, Michelle waited more than patiently as he spoke with Mason on the phone, examining his every feature from his perfect jaw bone that moved up and down as he talked to his hands which danced on the keyboard of his computer. The hands she dreamed of holding one day while they strolled through a park. The hands she saw lifting their children someday far in the future. The hands she longed to feel touch every part of her body.

He hung up the phone, interrupting her fantasy, which was probably a good thing anyways, considering she was at work, and also considering they hadn't even kissed before.

Tony turned back to her trying to summon up the same courage he had less than a minute ago. "Michelle," he said, "You... look tired. You should go home and get some rest." he suggested, disappointing himself for bailing out of the original plan.

_'That's what he was thinking?'_ she thought to herself, disappointed to find out that's all he was going to say. "Yeah, I am pretty tired," Michelle replied, trying to prolong having to say goodbye to him for the day in hopes he will say what he had originally planned to say before George so rudely interrupted.

"Alright," he said now in the direction of his computer screen, unable to say what he wanted to.

Still disappointed, Michelle turned to walk back to her station but was stopped quickly.

"Michelle," Tony said with a volume just above a whisper. "I'm packing up to leave in five minutes. If you wanted to wait, I could walk you to your car." It was the first thing he could think of to say. He didn't want to see her leave work that day with disappointment in her eyes. And not just any disappointment, but disappointment caused by _him. _He wants to be the cause of her smiles and happiness and joy, not sadness.

"Sure," she told him with a smile, thinking about how much she loves hearing him say her name.

Michelle, now slightly shaking, hurried back to organize her desk and gather her coat and purse. Not once had Tony ever offered to walk her to her car. This was new. This was different. She figured something just might happen, but tried to keep calm and not get her hopes up in fear that she was reading too far into this.

"You ready?" he asked as he approached her desk nervously.

"Yep," she replied, trying to hide any excitement.

They walked almost completely in silence down the hall, past security, and out the door together. It was a very peaceful silence. It was a feeling of being with someone and not needing to fill a silence all the time. He felt at ease walking by her side. This is exactly how he wanted it to be every night with her; leaving work _together,_ walking to _their_ car, that will drive them to _their _home. It wasn't until then that he had realized he was getting way ahead of himself. He also didn't realize they were already out in the middle of the parking lot.

"This is me," Michelle told him as she approached her silver Ford now wishing she had parked farther away so they could have more time to walk together.

She unlocked the car and he opened the drivers door for her.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile, still hesitating to get into her car.

"Michelle," he quickly said, then nervously stared at her in silence as he took a huge gulp. "About what I was trying to say earlier.."

"Yeah?" Michelle asked as she widened her eyes, giving her full attention to what she had been waiting for him to get back to for almost ten minutes now.

"I want more than whatever _this_ thing is that we have going on.. Or should I say _lack of_ anything going on," he managed to reveal to her.

"I've been waiting for this, Mr. Almeida," Michelle told him. "For a year and a half now," she said with a huge smile.

He sort of chuckled at her lighthearted response. "So is this you giving me permission to take you out to dinner?" he asked, already knowing her response.

"Yes," she responded shyly as she could feel her cheeks blushing.

"Great," he almost yelled out in excitement trying to hold eye contact as she looked down still blushing. "Does Friday night work for you?"

"Yes," she responded as she continued to smile, barely able to comprehend what was actually happening.

"Alright, you have a great night, Miss Dessler," he said flirtatiously as she got into her car.

"You too," she said, still in shock, unable to get any other words out.

He closed her door for her, and began walking toward his car now, with the biggest smile on his face. He knew he'd fallen for her long ago, but couldn't believe he was finally acting on his feelings. Friday night is going to be the greatest night of his life. Her life. Their lives.


End file.
